My shrewd neighbour recently explained we’re being charged too much for hot water made by an efficient heat-pump system. This is after receiving a refund from the same provider for illegally charging a supply fee. I add it to the list of issues to discuss with the developer … after three years, I still believe they will help (or at least give the impression they’re helping). After several years of delayed decisions, inconsistent information, and changing priorities, you could forgive me for having doubts.
Loading
False fire alarms in my building are not unusual, and I know neighbours who now ignore the evacuation sirens. It would be amusing if not for the potentially life-threatening consequences.
My home is designed to create stable temperatures for Melbourne’s unruly climate. In reality, on windy nights, the front door makes an erratic whistling sound, and condensation appears on the thermally broken windows. So much for that high energy rating.
A large reason I moved here is for the neighbourly vision described in the marketing material. These images have successfully turned into parties at the common room, smaller hangouts with wine and dips, bumping into neighbours in the neighbourhood, and offering help to others when needed. It has been fulfilling to live among civil, caring, and amusing people.
However, this doesn’t mean the good times will last. Several neighbours have already moved out, and it’s been harder to get to know new residents; the frequency of building events has lessened as the newness wears off. Maybe they’re not interested in neighbourly connection?
I suspect that many who live in new Melbourne apartments walk around with comparable scars. The issue is whether those scars (and building fees) become too much to bear.
If these issues don’t affect you personally, you’re likely to hear about them from your children, friends or relatives in the future.
Victoria’s growing population is projected to need an additional 1.6 million houses by 2051. This state had 2.7 million homes as of 2023. And something must be done about it; Melbourne has some of the lowest population densities in the world, and this translates to higher social, economic and environmental costs.
The housing situation is dire for the have-nots. However, most Victorians still prefer a detached house, despite the hidden costs of moving to the fringes.
Loading
And from my perspective, apartment living often doesn’t have the juice when other, more predictable fruits are worth the squeeze. While I will live in my apartment for the foreseeable future, the grass looks greener elsewhere.
Merrick Morley is a PhD researcher at the Architecture Building and Planning Faculty at the University of Melbourne.
The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here.